The House passed a one-month extension of the Patriot Act on Thursday and sent it to the Senate for final action as Congress scrambled to prevent expiration of anti-terror law enforcement provisions on Dec. 31.

Approval came on a voice vote in a nearly empty chamber, after Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refused to agree to a six-month extension the Senate cleared several hours earlier....

It was not clear when the Senate would act on the one-month bill, but approval was possible by evening.

CNN is reporting breaking news that the Senate has ended its impasse over USA PATRIOT Act renewal. As we told you previously, pro-PATRIOT lawmakers have been unable to end a filibuster by senators demanding that new protections for civil liberties be added to the renewal bill. With the "sunsetting" provisions of PATRIOT set to expire on December 31st and the holiday recess fast approaching, the Administration and its supporters in the Senate have now chosen to cut a deal: the sunsetting provisions will be extended for another six months, allowing more time for debate on what reforms must be added to the PATRIOT Act before complete renewal. It's not yet clear how the House of Representatives will respond, but we think it's likely to accept the deal tomorrow (knock on wood).

It's the best holiday gift any civil libertarian could hope for: a bipartisan coalition of Senators has refused to end a filibuster that is blocking renewal of the USA PATRIOT Act. The group of Democrats and Republicans are rightly concerned that the PATRIOT renewal bill lacks meaningful checks and balances to protect civil liberties from roving wiretaps, secret search warrants, super-secret demands for private records, and the many other broad police powers that Congress granted in haste immediately after the 9/11 attacks. Many of those PATRIOT powers are set to expire on December 31st—but Congress is set to adjourn for the holidays today.

The PATRIOT Act took a step closer to reauthorization today as Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced that he would sign the conference report (in three parts: one, two, and three).

Backroom deals have watered-down the best reforms and opportunistic politicians have bolted on unpopular additions. However, several other senators refuse to go along with the deal, and a filibuster may be in the offing next week. Call your senators and representative now, and demand they vote "no" on PATRIOT renewal!